CN109927413B

CN109927413B - Film forming apparatus and film forming method

Info

Publication number: CN109927413B
Application number: CN201810914191.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 礒圭二
Original assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2017-12-15
Filing date: 2018-08-13
Publication date: 2020-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-13
Also published as: TW201927582A; TWI673180B; JP6925746B2; JP2019109573A; KR20190072397A; CN109927413A; KR102529026B1

Abstract

The invention provides a film forming apparatus capable of reducing distortion of a linear edge of a film by using an ink jet printing technology. The ink is discharged by the ink discharge device while moving one of the object to be coated and the ink discharge device in the 1 st direction relative to the other based on the pattern of the region to be coated, thereby coating the edge of the region to be coated parallel to the 1 st direction with the ink. The ink jetting device jets the ink while moving one of the object to be coated and the ink jetting device relative to the other in the 2 nd direction, thereby coating the ink on the edge of the area to be coated, which is parallel to the 2 nd direction.

Description

Film forming apparatus and film forming method

The present application claims priority based on japanese patent application No. 2017-240421 applied 12, 15, 2017. The entire contents of this Japanese application are incorporated by reference into this specification.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method.

Background

Photolithography or screen printing is used in forming a resist pattern for patterning a transparent conductive film of a touch panel. In the method using the photolithography technique, although a high-definition pattern can be formed, the apparatus cost, the waste liquid disposal cost, and the like increase. The method using the screen printing technique is advantageous in terms of the cost of the apparatus and the cost of waste liquid disposal compared to the method using the photolithography technique, but it is difficult to form a high-definition pattern. In contrast, a technique for forming a high-definition resist pattern by an inkjet printing technique has been proposed (patent document 1).

Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 5797277

A technique for forming a film used as an etching mask with high precision when etching a transparent conductive film or the like is desired. In particular, when a film having a linear edge is formed by using an inkjet printing technique, there is a problem that the edge is distorted from a straight line.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a film forming device and a film forming method which can reduce the distortion of a linear edge of a film by using an ink jet printing technology.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a film forming apparatus including:

a storage device that stores a pattern of a coating target region including an edge parallel to a 1 st direction and an edge parallel to a 2 nd direction intersecting the 1 st direction;

a support portion for supporting an object to be coated;

an ink discharge device that discharges ink toward a surface of the application object supported by the support portion;

a moving mechanism having a function of moving one of the application object and the ink discharge device supported by the support portion relative to the other in two directions fixed to a surface of the application object; and

a control device for controlling the ink discharge device and the moving mechanism,

the control device has a function of executing the 1 st control and the 2 nd control,

in the 1 st control, based on the pattern stored in the coating target area of the storage device, while moving one of the coating target object supported by the support portion and the ink discharge device relative to the other in the 1 st direction, the ink discharge device is caused to discharge ink, thereby coating ink on an edge of the coating target area parallel to the 1 st direction,

in the 2 nd control, while one of the object to be coated and the ink discharge device supported by the support portion is moved relative to the other in the 2 nd direction, the ink discharge device is caused to discharge ink, and ink is applied to an edge of the object to be coated, the edge being parallel to the 2 nd direction.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a film forming apparatus having:

a support portion for supporting an object to be coated;

an ink discharge device having a plurality of nozzle holes for discharging ink toward the surface of the object to be coated supported by the support portion;

a moving mechanism having a function of moving one of the application object and the ink discharge device supported by the support portion relative to the other in a direction parallel to a surface of the application object; and

the control device controls the ink discharge device and the moving mechanism to apply the ink to the application target region by moving one of the application target object supported by the support portion and the ink discharge device relative to the other based on the pattern stored in the application target region of the storage device and to discharge the ink by the ink discharge device, and to apply the ink discharged from the same one of the nozzle holes to an edge parallel to the 1 st direction and also to an edge parallel to the 2 nd direction.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a film forming method including the steps of:

applying ink to an edge of an application target region parallel to a 1 st direction, while moving one of the application target and an ink discharge device, which defines the application target region on a surface thereof including the edge parallel to the 1 st direction and an edge parallel to a 2 nd direction intersecting the 1 st direction, relative to the other in the 1 st direction;

applying ink to an edge of the object area to be coated, the edge being parallel to the 2 nd direction, while moving one of the object to be coated and the ink discharge device relative to the other in the 2 nd direction;

the ink is applied to the inside of the application target region during at least one of a period in which one of the application target object and the ink discharge device is moved in the 1 st direction relative to the other and a period in which one of the application target object and the ink discharge device is moved in the 2 nd direction relative to the other.

while moving one of an object to be coated and an ink discharge device having a plurality of nozzle holes, in which an object to be coated has a surface defining an object area to be coated including an edge parallel to a 1 st direction and an edge parallel to a 2 nd direction intersecting the 1 st direction, relative to the other, ink discharged from the same one of the nozzle holes is applied to the edge parallel to the 1 st direction;

applying ink discharged from the same one of the nozzle holes to an edge parallel to the 2 nd direction while moving one of the object to be applied and the ink discharge device relative to the other,

and applying the ink discharged from the plurality of nozzle holes to the inside of the object to be coated.

Effects of the invention

The distortion of the edge parallel to the 1 st direction and the edge parallel to the 2 nd direction of the film made of the applied ink from a straight line can be reduced.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to an example.

Fig. 2A is a bottom view of the ink discharge device, and fig. 2B is a plan view showing a movement trajectory of the ink discharge device with respect to the substrate.

Fig. 3A is a plan view of a plurality of coating target areas defined on the surface of the substrate, fig. 3B is a plan view of the coating target areas after 4 passes (passes) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow, and fig. 3C is an enlarged plan view of a film formed by the applied ink.

Fig. 4A is a plan view of a plurality of coating target regions defined on the surface of the substrate, fig. 4B is a plan view of the coating target regions after 4 passes (passes) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow, fig. 4C is a view showing steps after the ink application process of fig. 4B is performed on the coating target regions in all the sections of the substrate, and fig. 4D is a plan view of the coating target regions after 4 passes (passes) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Fig. 5A is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the vicinity of the apex of the coating target region and the nozzle hole after the 4 passes (passes) shown in fig. 4B are performed, and fig. 5B is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the vicinity of the apex of the coating target region and the nozzle hole immediately before the 4 passes (passes) shown in fig. 4D are performed.

Fig. 6A is a plan view of a plurality of coating target regions defined on a substrate surface to be subjected to film formation by a film formation method according to another embodiment, fig. 6B is a plan view of the coating target regions after 4 passes (passes) in the direction indicated by an arrow, and fig. 6C is a plan view of the coating target regions after a predetermined number of passes (passes) in the direction indicated by an arrow (a direction parallel to the x-axis direction and the u-axis direction).

Fig. 7A to 7C are views showing the positional relationship between the pixel to which the ink is applied and the ink discharge device when the multiple passes (pass) shown in fig. 6C are performed.

FIG. 8A is a schematic view of a film formation apparatus according to still another embodiment, and FIG. 8B is a schematic plan view of the film formation apparatus.

Fig. 9A is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to still another embodiment, fig. 9B is a plan view showing a moving state of a substrate and an ink discharge device when ink is applied to an edge of an application target region parallel to a v-axis direction, and fig. 9C is a plan view showing a moving state of the substrate and the ink discharge device when ink is applied to an edge of the application target region parallel to the v-axis direction.

Fig. 10A is a plan view showing a pattern of a coating target region defined on a surface of a substrate to be formed when a film is formed by a film forming method according to still another embodiment, fig. 10B is a plan view of the coating target region after a pass (pass) in a w-axis direction is performed, fig. 10C is a plan view of the coating target region after a pass (pass) in a u-axis direction is performed, and fig. 10D is a plan view of the coating target region after a pass (pass) in a v-axis direction is performed.

In the figure: 20-base, 21-moving mechanism, 21A-x axis direction linear movement mechanism, 21B-y axis direction linear movement mechanism, 21C-rotating mechanism, 23-supporting portion, 24-gate frame, 26-ink discharging device, 26A, 26B-ink jet head, 27-nozzle hole, 28-light source, 30-control device, 31-storage device, 35-input device, 36-output device, 50-substrate (coating object), 51-segment, 52-film, 55-coating object region, 55 u-edge parallel to u axis direction, 55 v-edge parallel to v axis direction, 55 w-edge parallel to w axis direction, 56, 57, 58-arrow indicating the direction of passing (pass), 59-uncoated region, 60-pixels, 61, 62-arrows indicating the direction of passage (pass), 71-feed roller, 72-take-up roller, 73-moving mechanism, 74-linear-moving mechanism.

Detailed Description

Next, a film forming apparatus and a film forming method according to examples will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 5B.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to an example. A support portion (table) 23 is supported on the base 20 via a moving mechanism 21. An object to be coated (i.e., the substrate 50) is supported on the upper surface (support surface) of the support portion 23. An xyz rectangular coordinate system is defined in which the upper surface of the support 23 is an xy surface and the normal direction thereof is a positive direction of the z axis. The base 20 is generally disposed so that the xy plane becomes horizontal.

The moving mechanism 21 includes an x-axis direction linear motion mechanism 21A, y and an axis direction linear motion mechanism 21B and a rotation mechanism 21C. The x-axis direction linear motion mechanism 21A moves the guide rail of the y-axis direction linear motion mechanism 21B in the x-axis direction. The y-axis direction linear motion mechanism 21B moves the rotation mechanism 21C in the y-axis direction. The rotation mechanism 21C rotates the support 23 about a rotation axis parallel to the z axis. That is, the moving mechanism 21 has a function of translating the substrate 50 supported by the support 23 in both the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction and a function of rotating the substrate 50 about a rotation axis parallel to the z-axis.

The ink discharge device 26 is disposed above the substrate 50 supported by the support portion 23. The ink ejection device 26 is supported by the base 20 via, for example, a gate frame 24. The ink discharge device 26 has a plurality of nozzle holes facing the substrate 50 (downward). The ink discharge device 26 discharges ink toward the substrate 50 from a plurality of nozzle holes after forming ink droplets.

As the ink to be discharged toward the substrate 50, for example, an ultraviolet curable ink is used. A light source for emitting ultraviolet rays to the ink applied to the substrate 50 is disposed on the side of the ink discharge device 26. When the heat-curable ink is used, a heat source for heating the ink applied to the substrate 50 is disposed on the side of the ink discharge device 26.

The storage device 31 stores image data defining the position and the planar shape of an ink application region (application target region). The coating target region is defined by a plurality of pixels, for example, and bitmap (bitmap) data is used as image data. Various commands and data are input from the input device 35 to the control device 30. The input device 35 uses, for example, a keyboard, a pointing device (pointing device), a USB port, a communication device, and the like. Various information on the operation of the film forming apparatus is output to the output device 36. The output device 36 uses, for example, a display, a speaker, a USB port, a communication device, or the like.

The control device 30 controls the movement mechanism 21 and the ink discharge device 26 based on the image data stored in the storage device 31. The ink can be applied to the area to be applied of the substrate 50 by moving the moving mechanism 21 and causing the ink discharge device 26 to discharge the ink while moving the substrate 50.

Fig. 2A is a bottom view of the ink discharge device 26. A plurality of nozzle holes 27 are arranged at equal intervals in the x-axis direction on the bottom surface of the ink discharge device 26. The plurality of nozzle holes 27 may be arranged linearly or in a staggered manner. The pitch P of the nozzle holes 27 in the x-axis direction is, for example, a size (about 85 μm) corresponding to a resolution of 300 dpi. The distance Lx from the nozzle hole 27 at one end to the nozzle hole 27 at the other end is, for example, 50 mm. Light sources 28 for curing the ink are disposed on both sides of the ink discharge device 26 in the y-axis direction.

Next, a relative movement state between the substrate 50 and the ink discharge device 26 when the ink is applied to the substrate 50 will be described with reference to fig. 2B.

Fig. 2B is a plan view showing a movement trajectory of the ink discharge device 26 with respect to the substrate 50. For example, the substrate 50 having a square or rectangular planar shape is supported by the support portion 23 (fig. 1) such that the edge thereof is parallel to the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction. For example, the planar shape of the substrate 50 is a square having a side length of 500 mm. In practice, the ink is applied by moving the substrate 50 relative to the ink discharge device 26 in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, but in the following description, the movement of the substrate 50 may be expressed as relative movement of the ink discharge device 26 relative to the substrate 50.

When the ink discharge device 26 is moved relative to the substrate 50 in the y-axis direction, ink can be applied to a band-shaped region (hereinafter referred to as a "street (street) 51") having a width Lx in the x-axis direction. The step of moving the ink discharge device 26 from one end to the other end in the y-axis direction with respect to the substrate 50 is referred to as 1 pass (pass) in the y-axis direction. By performing 1 pass in the y-axis direction, ink can be applied in the x-axis direction with a resolution corresponding to the pitch P. By executing 4 passes (pas) while shifting the ink discharge device 26 by 1/4 of the pitch P in the x-axis direction within 1 segment 51, the resolution in the x-axis direction within 1 segment 51 can be increased by 4 times. For example, when the pitch P of the nozzle holes 27 (fig. 2A) corresponds to 300dpi, the resolution in the x-axis direction can be increased to 1200dpi by performing 4 passes (pass).

When the application of the ink to the 1 segment 51 is completed, the ink discharge device 26 is moved Lx (fig. 2A) relative to the substrate 50 in the x-axis direction to apply the ink to the adjacent segment 51. By repeating this process, the ink can be applied to the area to be coated over the entire area of the substrate 50.

Before the description of the examples, the steps of applying the ink and the results of the application by the method of the reference example will be described with reference to fig. 3A to 3C.

Fig. 3A is a plan view of a plurality of coating target regions 55 defined on the surface of the substrate 50 (fig. 2B). The coating target regions 55 include edges parallel to the x-axis direction and edges parallel to the y-axis direction, respectively. For example, each of the coating target regions 55 has a square or rectangular planar shape.

Fig. 3B is a top view of the coating target region 55 after 4 passes (pass) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow 56 (y-axis direction). The areas coated with ink are hatched. Ink is applied to each of the areas 55 to be coated, and a film of ink is formed.

Fig. 3C is an enlarged top view of the film 52 formed by the applied ink. The formed film 52 has an edge parallel to the y-axis direction substantially linear. On the other hand, the edge parallel to the x-axis direction is wavy and distorted from a straight line.

The reason why the edge parallel to the x-axis direction is distorted will be described below. Since the ink is applied while the ink discharge device 26 is relatively moved in the y-axis direction with respect to the substrate 50, the ink discharged from the same nozzle hole 27 (fig. 2A) is applied to the edge parallel to the y-axis direction. On the other hand, the edges parallel to the x-axis direction are coated with ink discharged from the different nozzle holes 27.

The ink discharge direction varies depending on the nozzle hole 27. The positions where the droplets of ink discharged from the same nozzle hole 27 land are shifted by the same distance in the same direction from the target position. Therefore, the edge of the coating target region 55 parallel to the y-axis direction is substantially linear. In contrast, the relative positional relationship between the position where the droplets of the ink discharged from the different nozzle holes 27 land and the target position is not the same. Therefore, the edge parallel to the x-axis direction formed by the ink discharged from the different nozzle holes 27 is distorted from a straight line.

Next, the procedure of applying the ink by the method of the example will be described with reference to fig. 4A to 4D and fig. 5A to 5B.

Fig. 4A is a plan view of a plurality of coating target regions 55 defined on the surface of the substrate 50 (fig. 2B), which is the same as the plan view shown in fig. 3A. In fig. 4A, 4 coating target areas 55 are shown, but in reality, more coating target areas 55 are distributed on the surface of the substrate 50. The position and shape of the coating target region 55 are defined by the image data stored in the storage device 31 (fig. 1). A plurality of pixels corresponding to the pixels of the image data are virtually defined in the coating target region 55.

A uv orthogonal coordinate system fixed to the surface of the coating target region 55 is defined. The xyz rectangular coordinate system is fixed to the base 20 (fig. 1). Before the ink is applied, the u-axis direction and the v-axis direction are parallel to the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction, respectively. Each of the coating target regions 55 has an edge parallel to the u-axis direction and an edge parallel to the v-axis direction.

Fig. 4B is a top view of the coating target region 55 after 4 passes (pass) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow 57 (v-axis direction). The areas coated with ink are hatched. The edge 55v parallel to the y-axis direction of the region 55 to be coated and the inside of the region 55 to be coated are coated with ink, while the edge 55u parallel to the x-axis direction is not coated with ink. Further, ink is applied to at least 1 pixel of the vertex of the square or rectangular application target region 55. The ink may be applied to a plurality of pixels near the vertex including the pixel of the vertex.

After the 4 passes (pass) are performed, an uncoated region 59 including pixels on the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction remains. The size (width) of the uncoated region 59 in the v-axis direction is 1 pixel or more. Since the pixels at the apex of the coating target region 55 are coated with ink, both ends of the uncoated region 59 do not reach the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction.

Fig. 4C is a diagram showing a step after the ink application process of fig. 4B is performed on the application target area 55 in all the segments 51 (fig. 2B) of the substrate 50. The controller 30 (fig. 1) controls the rotation mechanism 21C to rotate the support 23 by 90 °. After the rotation, the u-axis direction and the v-axis direction fixed to the surface of the coating target region 55 are parallel to the y-axis direction and the x-axis direction, respectively.

Fig. 4D is a top view of the coating target region 55 after 4 passes (pass) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow 58 (u-axis direction). The areas coated with ink are hatched. By the 4 passes, the ink is applied to the uncoated region 59 (fig. 4A). The ink is applied to the entire region inside the application target region 55 by the multiple passes (pass) performed in the processing shown in fig. 4B and 4D.

Fig. 5A is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the vicinity of the apex of the coating target region 55 and the nozzle hole 27 after the 4 passes (pass) shown in fig. 4B are performed. The position and shape of the region to be coated 55 are defined by a plurality of pixels 60 arranged in a square lattice. The pixels 60 that were coated with ink by performing the 4 passes shown in fig. 4B are hatched.

On the surface of the coating target region 55, the actual ink droplets cover a region larger than the size of 1 pixel 60. For example, the pitch of the pixels 60 is about 21 μm corresponding to a resolution of 1200dpi, and the diameter of the ink droplets applied to the surface of the coating target region 55 is about 50 μm. At this time, the diameter of the droplet of the ink corresponds to a size of about 2.5 pixels 60.

By performing 4 passes (pass), the ink is applied to the pixels 60 on the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction, and the ink is also applied to the pixels 60 inside except for the uncoated region 59. In fig. 5A, the width of the uncoated region 59 is set to 2 times the pixel pitch. Then, ink is applied to a predetermined number (for example, 2 × 2) of pixels 60 including the vertex of the application target region 55.

Fig. 5A shows an example in which the ink is applied to the pixel 60 on the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction by the 1 st pass (pass), but depending on the position of the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction, the ink may be applied to the pixel 60 on the edge 55v by one of the 2 nd to 4 th passes (passes). For example, in the case where the ink is applied to the pixel 60 on the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction by the 4 th pass (pass), the ink is applied to the pixel 60 on the inner side adjacent to the pixel 60 on the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction by the 1 st pass (pass).

Fig. 5B is a diagram showing a positional relationship between the vicinity of the apex of the coating target region 55 and the nozzle hole 27 immediately before the 4 passes (pass) shown in fig. 4D are performed. In fig. 5B, the u-axis direction of the surface of the substrate 50 is parallel to the y-axis direction. In fig. 5B, since the width of the uncoated area 59 is 2 times the pixel pitch, ink can be applied to all the pixels 60 in the uncoated area 59 by performing two passes (pass).

From the positional relationship between the uncoated region 59 and the other uncoated regions shown in fig. 5B, ink may not be applied to all of the uncoated regions by these two passes (pass). In this case, the 3 rd and 4 th passes (passes) are performed, and the ink can be applied to all the uncoated areas.

Next, the excellent effects obtained by using the film forming apparatus and the film forming method of the above-described embodiments will be described.

In the above embodiment, the ink is applied to the edge 55v (fig. 4B) of the application target region 55 parallel to the v-axis direction while relatively moving the ink discharge device 26 with respect to the substrate 50 in the v-axis direction, and the ink is applied to the edge 55u (fig. 4D) parallel to the u-axis direction while relatively moving the ink discharge device 26 with respect to the substrate 50 in the u-axis direction. Therefore, the ink discharged from the same nozzle hole 27 is applied to the edge parallel to the u-axis direction, and the ink discharged from the same nozzle hole 27 is also applied to the edge parallel to the v-axis direction. Therefore, the edge of the film formed of the ink can be made close to a straight line. This makes it possible to make the film formed of the ink more beautiful. When the lower layer film is etched using the applied ink film as an etching mask, the etched lower layer film can be provided with an effect of improving the appearance.

When the plurality of coating target regions 55 are arranged close to each other in the u-axis direction and the v-axis direction, that is, when the intervals between the coating target regions 55 in the u-axis direction and the v-axis direction are narrow, it is possible to suppress the films of the inks applied to the adjacent coating target regions 55 from being continuous with each other by reducing the edge distortion. For example, when a conductive film of a lower layer is etched using a film of the applied ink as an etching mask, occurrence of a short-circuit failure between the etched conductive patterns can be suppressed.

Next, a preferable dimension of the width of the uncoated region 59 (fig. 4B) will be described. Based on the variation in the characteristics of the plurality of nozzle holes 27, the edge of the ink film formed by the coating process shown in fig. 4B, which is parallel to the u-axis direction, is distorted from a straight line. If the width of the uncoated region 59 is too narrow, the distortion cannot be corrected. In order to correct the distortion, the width of the uncoated region 59 is preferably set to be equal to or larger than the maximum amplitude at which distortion is likely to occur. For example, even if the direction of ink discharged from the nozzle holes 27 varies, the width of the variation does not exceed the pixel pitch. Therefore, by setting the width of the uncoated region 59 to 2 times or more the pixel pitch, edge distortion can be sufficiently corrected.

The planar shape of the uncoated region 59 (fig. 4B) need not be a rectangle long in the u-axis direction, and may be any planar shape. It is sufficient if the ink is applied in the uncoated region 59 in the process shown in fig. 4D. For example, a square or rectangular region to be coated 55 may be quartered with two diagonal lines to obtain a triangular region, and two regions including an edge parallel to the u-axis direction may be set as the uncoated region 59.

In the above embodiment, a step of rotating the substrate 50 is required (fig. 4C), and thus the tact time (takt time) may become long. As described below, the tact time for ink application by the method of the example is not significantly increased compared to the tact time required for high-quality ink application by the conventional method (fig. 3B).

In the following description, an example will be described in which the substrate 50 is square with dimensions of 500mm × 500mm, the interval Lx (fig. 2A) between the nozzle holes 27 provided at both ends of the ink discharge device 26 is 50mm, the pitch P (fig. 2A) of the nozzle holes 27 is an amount corresponding to 300dpi, and the moving speed of the substrate 50 is 200 mm/s.

It is known that when the resolution in the x-axis direction is increased by the conventional method (fig. 3B), distortion of the edge of the coating target region 55 parallel to the x-axis direction is reduced to some extent. For example, when the resolution in the y-axis direction is 1200dpi and the resolution in the x-axis direction is 2400dpi, distortion of the edge parallel to the x-axis direction is reduced to some extent. In order to set the resolution in the x-axis direction to 2400dpi, 8 passes (passes) need to be repeatedly performed in the coating process of 1 segment 51 (fig. 2B). In the case of executing 1 pass (pass), the time for the ink discharge device 26 to pass above the substrate 50 is 2.5 seconds, but since the acceleration and deceleration requires about 1 second, the time required for 1 pass (pass) is about 3.5 seconds.

Since 8 passes (pass) need to be performed in 1 segment, the coating process time for 1 segment is about 28 seconds. Since 10 segments 51 are defined on 1 substrate 50, the coating process time for 1 substrate 50 is about 280 seconds.

In the method according to the embodiment, even if the resolution in the x-axis direction is reduced to 1200dpi, the edge of the coating target region 55 can obtain sufficient linearity. Therefore, only 4 passes (pass) are required for the coating process of 1 segment. Even if the time required for acceleration and deceleration is added, the coating processing time of 1 segment 51 is 14 seconds. The coating treatment time for 10 segments 51 was 140 seconds. In the example, the process of applying ink to the edge parallel to the v-axis direction (fig. 4B) and the process of applying ink to the edge parallel to the u-axis direction (fig. 4D) were separately performed, and therefore a total processing time of 280 seconds was required. The time required for the process of rotating the substrate 50 is 10 seconds or less. Even if the time required for the rotation is 10 seconds, the time for processing 1 substrate 50 is about 290 seconds.

As described above, the tact time in the case of the coating method according to the example is not significantly increased as compared with the tact time in the case of the conventional method.

Next, a modified example of the above embodiment will be explained. In the above embodiment, the substrate 50 is moved while the ink discharge device 26 is stationary with respect to the base 20 (fig. 1), but one of the substrate 50 and the ink discharge device 26 may be moved relative to the other. For example, the ink discharge device 26 may be moved while the substrate 50 is stationary. Alternatively, the substrate 50 may be moved by stopping the substrate 50 in the x-axis direction and moving the ink discharge device 26, and the substrate 50 may be moved by stopping the ink discharge device 26 in the y-axis direction.

In the above embodiment, the u-axis direction is orthogonal to the v-axis direction, but the two do not necessarily need to be orthogonal, as long as they intersect. For example, the planar shape of each of the coating target regions 55 may be a parallelogram. In this case, in the rotation process shown in fig. 4C, the substrate 50 may be rotated by an angle formed by the u-axis direction and the v-axis direction.

Further, although the ink discharge device 26 is configured by 1 ink jet head in the above embodiment, the ink discharge device 26 may be configured by a plurality of ink jet heads. For example, if a plurality of inkjet heads are arranged in the x-axis direction, the coating process can be performed on the plurality of segments 51 (fig. 2B) by 1 pass (pass). Further, by arranging n inkjet heads in the y-axis direction and shifting them by 1/n times the pitch P (fig. 2A) of the nozzle holes 27 in the x-axis direction, the resolution that can be applied by 1 pass (pass) can be increased by n times.

Next, a film forming apparatus and a film forming method according to another embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 6A to 7C. Hereinafter, the same configurations as those of the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5B will not be described.

Fig. 6A is a plan view of a plurality of coating target regions 55 defined on the surface of the substrate 50 (fig. 2B), which is the same as the plan view shown in fig. 4A.

Fig. 6B is a plan view of the coating target region 55 after 4 passes (pass) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow 61 (the direction parallel to the y-axis direction and the v-axis direction). The areas coated with ink are hatched. The state of the ink-coated region after the 4 passes (pass) is performed is the same as that of the ink-coated region shown in fig. 4B. An uncoated region 59 remains in the coating target region 55.

Fig. 6C is a plan view of the coating target region 55 after a predetermined number of passes (pass) are performed in the direction indicated by the arrow 62 (the direction parallel to the x-axis direction and the u-axis direction). By this coating treatment, the ink is applied to the uncoated region 59 (fig. 6B), and as a result, the ink is applied to the entire region inside the target region to be coated 55. Since the nozzle holes 27 (fig. 2A) of the ink discharge device 26 are aligned in the x-axis direction, only 1 pass (pass) in the x-axis direction is performed, and ink can be applied to 1 line of pixels 60 parallel to the x-axis direction.

Fig. 7A to 7C are views showing the positional relationship between the ink ejection device 26 and the pixel to which the ink is applied when the multiple passes (pass) shown in fig. 6C are performed.

As shown in fig. 7A, the ink discharge device 26 is moved so that the y-axis direction position of the nozzle hole 27 coincides with the y-axis direction position of 1 line of pixels 60 arranged in the u-axis direction among the plurality of pixels 60 in the uncoated region 59. In this state, 1 pass (pass) of relatively moving the ink discharge device 26 in the x-axis direction with respect to the substrate 50 is performed. Thereby, ink is applied to the 1 row of pixels 60 in the uncoated area 59. Any of the plurality of nozzle holes 27 may be used when applying ink to the plurality of pixels 60 in 1 line. However, in order to prevent the characteristic variation of the nozzle holes 27 from being affected, it is preferable to use the same nozzle hole 27 for a plurality of pixels of 1 line.

As shown in fig. 7B, the ink discharge device 26 is relatively moved with respect to the substrate 50 so that the y-axis direction position of the nozzle hole 27 coincides with the y-axis direction position of the 1-line pixel 60 that is not coated with ink among the plurality of pixels 60 in the non-coated region 59.

As shown in fig. 7C, 1 pass (pass) of relatively moving the ink discharge device 26 in the x-axis direction with respect to the substrate 50 is performed. Thereby, ink is applied to the 1 row of pixels 60 in the uncoated area 59.

By performing 1 pass (pass) in the x-axis direction, 1 row of pixels 60 can be coated with ink. Until all the pixels 60 in all the uncoated areas 59 (fig. 6B) are coated with ink, the passage in the x-axis direction is repeatedly performed while changing the position of the ink discharge device 26 in the y-axis direction (pass).

Next, the excellent effects obtained by using the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the embodiment shown in fig. 6A to 7C will be described.

In the present embodiment, ink is applied to the edge 55v (fig. 6B) of the application target region 55 parallel to the v-axis direction while relatively moving the ink discharge device 26 in the v-axis direction. While relatively moving the ink discharge device 26 in the u-axis direction, ink is applied to an edge 55u (fig. 6C) parallel to the u-axis direction. Therefore, as in the embodiments shown in fig. 1 to 5B, the distortion of the edge of the coating target region 55 from a straight line can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, since the substrate 50 does not need to be rotated, the moving mechanism 21 (fig. 1) does not need to have a rotating function.

Next, a preferable dimension of the width of the uncoated region 59 (fig. 4B) will be described. In this embodiment, as in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5B, the width of the uncoated region 59 is preferably 2 times or more the pixel pitch. Further, in the present embodiment, when the pass (pass) in the u-axis direction is performed (fig. 6C), the ink can be applied only to the pixels 60 of 1 line. In order to reduce the number of passes (pass) required for the coating process shown in fig. 6C and to reduce the tact time, it is preferable to reduce the width of the uncoated region 59 as much as possible. Therefore, the width of the uncoated region 59 is preferably set to 2 times the pixel pitch.

Next, a modified example of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the posture of the ink discharge device 26 is not changed in the application process shown in fig. 6B and the application process shown in fig. 6C. After the coating process shown in fig. 6B is completed and before the coating process shown in fig. 6C is performed, the ink discharge device 26 may be rotated by 90 °. In this way, when the coating process shown in fig. 6C is performed, the plurality of nozzle holes 27 (fig. 2A) are arranged in the v-axis direction. Therefore, in the processing shown in fig. 7A and 7C, by performing 1 pass (pass), the ink can be applied to the pixels 60 in a plurality of rows. As a result, the number of times of execution of the pass (pass) can be reduced.

Next, a film forming apparatus and a film forming method according to still another embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 8A and 8B. Hereinafter, the same configurations as those of the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5B will not be described. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5B, the object to be coated is the rigid substrate 50, but in the present embodiment, the object to be coated is the flexible substrate 50.

FIG. 8A is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to the present example. The flexible substrate 50 as an object to be coated is supplied from a feed roller 71 and is wound up by a winding roller 72. The control device 30 controls the moving mechanism 73 to rotate the feed roller 71 and the take-up roller 72. The ink discharge device 26 is disposed above the substrate 50 before being supplied from the feed roller 71 and wound by the winding roller 72. An xyz rectangular coordinate system is defined in which the transport direction of the substrate 50 is the y-axis direction, the width direction of the substrate 50 is the x-axis direction, and the vertically upward direction is the z-axis direction.

The ink discharge device 26 includes an inkjet head 26A and an inkjet head 26B facing the substrate 50. One inkjet head 26A has a plurality of nozzle holes arrayed in the x-axis direction. The other inkjet head 26B has a plurality of nozzle holes arrayed in the y-axis direction. The inkjet head 26B is supported by the linear motion mechanism 74 and is configured to be movable in translation in the x-axis direction with respect to the substrate 50.

Fig. 8B is a schematic plan view of the film forming apparatus according to the present embodiment. Between the feed roller 71 and the take-up roller 72, the substrate 50 is conveyed in the y-axis direction. One ink-jet head 26A extends from one side edge to the other side edge of the substrate 50 in the width direction (x-axis direction) of the substrate, so that ink can be applied to the entire area in the width direction. The other ink-jet head 26B can move from one side edge of the substrate to the other side edge of the substrate in the width direction (x-axis direction) of the substrate 50. A uv orthogonal coordinate system is defined on the surface of the substrate 50, with the width direction as the u-axis direction and the transport direction as the v-axis direction.

A plurality of coating target regions 55 are defined on the surface of the substrate 50. Only a part of the coating target region 55 is shown in fig. 8B. The coating target region 55 includes an edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction and an edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction. When the region 55 to be coated passes under the inkjet head 26A, the ink is discharged from the inkjet head 26A, and the ink is applied to the edge 55v of the region 55 to be coated parallel to the v-axis direction and the inside thereof. The coating process is substantially the same as the process shown in fig. 4B. At this stage, an uncoated region 59 along the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction of the coating target region 55 remains.

While the conveyance of the substrate 50 is stopped, the ink jet head 26B is moved in the x-axis direction (u-axis direction), thereby applying ink to the uncoated region 59. The relative movement between the substrate 50 and the ink discharge device 26 in the coating process is substantially the same as the relative movement in the process shown in fig. 4D.

Next, the excellent effects obtained by using the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the present example will be described. In this embodiment, as in the embodiments shown in fig. 1 to 5B, the edge of the film formed of the ink applied to the coating target region 55 can be made close to a straight line.

Next, a modified example of the above embodiment will be explained.

In the above embodiment, the application of the ink is performed while the application target region 55 is passed 1 time under the inkjet head 26A. In order to improve the resolution in the u-axis direction, the conveyance of the substrate 50 may be controlled so that the coating target region 55 reciprocates in the v-axis direction below the inkjet head 26A while shifting the inkjet head 26A in the u-axis direction by a distance shorter than the pitch of the nozzle holes. That is, multiple passes in the v-axis direction (pass) may be performed. In order to improve the resolution in the v-axis direction, the inkjet head 26B may be moved a plurality of times in the u-axis direction while moving the substrate 50 in the v-axis direction by a distance shorter than the pitch of the nozzle holes. That is, the pass (pass) in the u-axis direction may be performed a plurality of times.

In the above-described embodiment, when the ink is applied to the edge 55v of the application target region 55 parallel to the v-axis direction, the substrate 50 is transported in the v-direction with respect to the inkjet head 26A, but the substrate 50 may be stationary and the inkjet head 26A may be moved in the v-axis direction.

Next, a film forming apparatus and a film forming method according to still another embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 9A to 9C. Hereinafter, the same configurations as those of the film forming apparatus and the film forming method shown in fig. 8A and 8B will not be described.

FIG. 9A is a schematic view of a film forming apparatus according to the present example. In the embodiment shown in fig. 8A and 8B, the ink discharge device 26 includes two ink jet heads 26A and 26B, but in the present embodiment, the ink discharge device 26 is configured by 1 ink jet head. The ink ejection device 26 is movable in translation in the x-axis direction by a linear motion mechanism 74.

Fig. 9B is a plan view showing the movement state of the substrate 50 and the ink discharge device 26 when ink is applied to the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction of the application target region 55. The 1 pass (pass) is performed by conveying the substrate 50 in the v-axis direction. By performing a plurality of passes (pass) while shifting the ink discharge device 26 in the u-axis direction, the ink is applied to the edge 55v of the application target region 55 parallel to the v-axis direction and the inside thereof. The coating process is substantially the same as the coating process shown in fig. 6B. At the end of the coating process, an uncoated region 59 along the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction remains.

Fig. 9C is a plan view showing the movement state of the substrate 50 and the ink discharge device 26 when ink is applied to the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction of the application target region 55. In a state where the uncoated region 59 is disposed below the ink discharge device 26, 1 pass (pass) of moving the ink discharge device 26 in the u-axis direction is performed. The substrate 50 is transported in the v-axis direction while performing a plurality of passes (pas), thereby applying ink to the uncoated region 59. This process is substantially the same as the coating process shown in fig. 6C.

Next, the excellent effects obtained by using the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the present example will be described. In this embodiment, as in the embodiment shown in fig. 6A to 6B, the edge of the film formed of the ink applied to the coating target region 55 can be made close to a straight line.

Next, a film formation method according to still another embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 10A to 10D. Hereinafter, the same configurations as those of the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5B will not be described.

Fig. 10A is a plan view showing a pattern of a plurality of coating target regions 55 defined on the surface of the substrate 50 (fig. 1 and 2B). In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5B, the coating target region 55 (fig. 4A) is a square or a rectangle having an edge 55u and an edge 55v parallel to the u-axis direction and the v-axis direction. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the coating target region 55 has an edge 55u, an edge 55v, and an edge 55w that are parallel to the u-axis direction, the v-axis direction, and the w-axis direction, respectively. For example, each of the coating target regions 55 has an isosceles trapezoid planar shape. The isosceles trapezoids are alternately arranged in the w-axis direction and the direction orthogonal to the w-axis direction in a vertically inverted manner.

In the present embodiment, the ink is applied by performing the pass (pass) in the w-axis direction, the pass (pass) in the u-axis direction, and the pass (pass) in the v-axis direction on the edge 55w parallel to the w-axis direction, the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction, and the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction, respectively. In the initial state, the w-axis direction is parallel to the y-axis direction.

Fig. 10B is a plan view of the coating target region 55 after the passage (pass) in the w-axis direction in which the ink discharge device 26 is relatively moved in the w-axis direction (y-axis direction) is executed. The areas coated with ink are hatched. The edge 55w parallel to the w-axis direction of the region 55 to be coated and the inside of the region 55 to be coated are coated with ink, and the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction and the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction are not coated with ink. Thereby, the uncoated region 59 where the ink was not applied remained. The uncoated region 59 is constituted by, for example, a band-shaped region along the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction and a band-shaped region along the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction.

After the pass (pass) in the w-axis direction is performed, controller 30 (fig. 1) controls rotation mechanism 21C to rotate substrate 50 so that the u-axis direction is parallel to the y-axis direction. In this state, the ink discharge device 26 is moved in the y-axis direction to perform a pass (pass) in the u-axis direction.

Fig. 10C is a plan view of the coating target region 55 after the passage (pass) in the u-axis direction is performed. By performing the pass (pass) in the u-axis direction, the uncoated region 59 along the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction is coated with ink.

After the passage (pass) in the u-axis direction is performed, controller 30 (fig. 1) controls rotation mechanism 21C to rotate substrate 50 so that the v-axis direction is parallel to the y-axis direction. In this state, the ink discharge device 26 is moved in the y-axis direction to perform the passage (pass) in the v-axis direction.

Fig. 10D is a plan view of the coating target region 55 after the passage (pass) in the v-axis direction is performed. By performing the pass (pass) in the v-axis direction, the uncoated area 59 along the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction is coated with ink.

Next, the excellent effects obtained by using the film forming apparatus and the film forming method according to the present example will be described.

In this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the distortion of the edge 55w parallel to the w-axis direction, the edge 55u parallel to the u-axis direction, and the edge 55v parallel to the v-axis direction of the film formed of the ink from a straight line. In order to improve the linearity of the edge, it is preferable that a plurality of pixels defining the pattern of the coating target region 55 are arranged in parallel to the u-axis direction, the v-axis direction, and the w-axis direction.

In the present embodiment, the planar shape of the application target region 55 is an isosceles trapezoid, but the planar shape may be another shape having edges parallel to the three directions. For example, the planar shape of the coating target region 55 may be a regular hexagon and may be arranged in a honeycomb structure. The planar shape of the coating target region 55 may be another polygon.

The above embodiments are merely examples, and it is needless to say that a part of the structures shown in different embodiments may be replaced or combined. The same operational effects based on the same structure with respect to the plurality of embodiments are not individually mentioned in each embodiment. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, various alterations, modifications, combinations, and the like may be made, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A film forming apparatus is characterized by comprising:

a support portion for supporting an object to be coated;

in the 1 st control, based on the pattern of the application target region stored in the storage device, while moving one of the application target object supported by the support portion and the ink discharge device relative to the other in the 1 st direction, the ink discharge device is caused to discharge ink, thereby applying ink to an edge of the application target region parallel to the 1 st direction,

2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1,

the moving mechanism has a function of rotating one of the application object and the ink discharge device supported by the support portion relative to the other around a rotation axis parallel to a normal direction of a surface of the application object,

the control device has a function of executing a 3 rd control after executing the 1 st control and before executing the 2 nd control, and in the 3 rd control, the control device controls the moving mechanism to rotate one of the application object and the ink discharge device supported by the support portion by an angle formed by the 1 st direction and the 2 nd direction with respect to the other.

3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1,

the ink discharge device includes a 1 st ink jet head and a 2 nd ink jet head which discharge ink toward a surface of the coating object supported by the support portion,

the moving mechanism has the following functions: one of the application object supported by the support portion and the 1 st ink jet head is moved in the 1 st direction relative to the other, and one of the application object supported by the support portion and the 2 nd ink jet head is moved in the 2 nd direction relative to the other.

4. A film forming apparatus is characterized by comprising:

a support portion for supporting an object to be coated;

5. A film forming method, comprising the steps of:

6. A film forming method, comprising the steps of:

applying ink discharged from the same one of the nozzle holes to an edge parallel to the 2 nd direction while moving one of the object to be applied and the ink discharge device relative to the other;